Heroes of the Environment

I'm reading this fantastic piece on heroes of the environment from Time Magazine. It's a well done piece. Here are some of my thoughts about it:

1. There seem to be an inordinate number of white men on the list.

2. Lee Myung Bak (slide 5). I've never heard of this guy but I love how he resurected the city's river. Maybe he could help Cincinnati. The Ohio River is synomous with "toxic waste dump" in Cincinnati right now. Like if you eat fish out of it, you might be the next thing with gills.

3. Al Gore. That was predictable. Well earned though. He might actually be able to be elected president now.

4. Jose Goldemberg. The man who is responsible for making the US want to make ethanol out of corn. Really it's not his fault if we're stupid. Ethanol is a good idea when it's done with sugar and some other crops, just not corn really.

5. Prince Charles. I actually remember reading that several years ago.

6. Angela Merkel. Who is impressed that I knew who she was before I read this.

7. Wangara Maathai. Read her story and you will understand why the people are the most beautiful part of Africa.

8. Hammer Simwinga. The park in Zambia that's mentioned is across the border from the park in Malawi, Kasungu, where I was supposed to live. I've seen that park. I didn't see any elephants when I was there. I was grateful actually. My village outside of Kasungu is protected by armed guards. Why are there guards Liz? They protect the villagers from stray elephants. No, seriously.

9. Theo Colborn. Working to save the Great Lakes. Also, "we had gonads flying around the country". Best. Line. Ever.

10. Abul Hussam. I'd actually heard of arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh before. Is it wrong that I've learned so much from The West Wing?

11. Kristine Pearson and Rory Stear. I love it when people do things in Africa. I think we actually had some of those flashlights in Malawi. And I'm assuming these were the forerunners of the One Laptop Per Child or hand crank lap tops.